13 Most Iconic Eyebrows of All Time

Some decades, the skinnier the brows the sexier. Others, the bushier the better. Still others, the more painted on, the prettier. (And luckily, these days we are in an age where whatever shape and style goes...people have even stopped freaking out about unibrows.) And because of this brow obsession, we've decided to go back through the ages — from screen sirens like Lauren Bacall to millennial-favorite model Cara Delevingne — to highlight all of the attention-grabbing arches. The good, the bad, and yes, the purposefully, painfully over-plucked.

113

Marlene Dietrich, 1930s

Why have real brows when you can draw them high and skinny instead?

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213

Billie Holiday, 1939

The jazz singer's arches were precisely painted and nearly the same width from end to end.

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313

Frida Kahlo, 1940s

The revolutionary artist's distinguished brow stretched nearly the entire way across her face with a refined dip in the center.

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413

Lauren Bacall, 1945

The notable feature of Bacall's brows was their versatility surrounding her expression. They could be at once sultry, defiant, and coquettish, depending on her mood.

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513

Elizabeth Taylor, 1950s

These voluptuous jet black brows were show-stopping enough to stand up to the actress's pillow-y lips, porcelain skin, and large baubles. You might even say that they were her best accessory.

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613

Audrey Hepburn, 1955

These expertly-groomed brows were seen as both bold and flirtatious, uninhibited and sophisticated.

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713

Marilyn Monroe, 1950s

The star's ash blonde arches had a high, sharp peak falling into a smart, tapered end.

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813

Brooke Shields, 1980s

Brooke's brows — in all their brushed up bulk and glory — were the stuff of '80s (and '90s, and, let's be honest, present-day) legends. We're not worthy.

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913

Grace Jones, 1985

The supermodel's signature set include a deep base and a sharp drawn-on tail.

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1013

Madonna, 1987

True, Madge's brows at the 1987 American Music Awards aren't entirely real. But the glued on pieces inspired a turn to a thicker and more robust aesthetic.

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1113

Drew Barrymore, 1995

Take it from us: If you were a teenybopper in the '90s, there were no brows you coveted more than Barrymore's over-tweezed pair.